Location

Description

It is not often realised that, while physics is a basic science and music is one of the most important art forms, the two subjects are very closely linked. In fact the linkage between them is extremely intimate and multi-faceted.

The scale systems which are the basis of almost all music around us is grounded firmly in physics and mathematics. Musical instruments and their characteristics can be explained entirely in terms of physical principles, while the wide dissemination of music today owes much to technology grounded in physics and mathematics.

The speaker will draw from his own personal experiences as a physicist and as a musician, as well as from his General Education Module “The Science of Music” which he has taught for nearly 20 years at the National University of Singapore.

About the speaker

Professor Bernard Tan got his Bachelor of Science with Honours in Physics from the University of Singapore (1965) and degree on Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science from Oxford University (1968). He also studied piano and is a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music and a Licentiate in Music as well as a Fellow of Trinity College of Music, London.

He joined the then University of Singapore (now NUS, the National University of Singapore) in 1968, where he has served as Acting Head of Music, Associate Director of the Center for Musical Activities, Dean of Science, Head of Physics and Dean of Students. He is currently an Emeritus Professor of Physics at NUS, where is also Chairman of the Center for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP) and the Singapore Synchrotron Light Source (SSLS).